Apparatus for blending sand and like materials



May 21, 1935. H. 1.. MCKINNON ET AL 2,001,973

APPARATUS FOR BLENDING SAND AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTORS ATTORNE 6 May 21, 1935.

H L. M KINNON ET AL 2,001,973

APPARATUS FUR BLENDING SAND AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 5, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOIU A TTORN E Y5 May 21, 1935. H. L. McKlNNON ET AL 2,001,973

' APPARATUS FOR BLENDING SAND AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Dec 5, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet :5

ATTORN Y's Patented May 21, 1935 1 APPARATUS FOR- BLENDING SAND AND V a LIKE MATERIALS j Herbert, L. McKinnon and Mahlon E. First, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to C. 0. Bartlett & Snow Company, Ohio Application Decem Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of or ,5, 1931, Serial No. 579,250

8 Claims; (01. 259-84) V side the drum. Theblending rolls may, if de- This, invention relates in'general to anovel method of and apparatusfor blending granular and powdered materials, but more particularly to apparatus'of this 1 type which is especially adapted to accomplish a, uniform :blending of silica sands and other materials used in foundries. The primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this type capableof receiving various granular or powderedmaterials, such for example, as different grades of silicasand, and other powdered materialafand accomplishing a more uniform andintimate blending thereof than has been heretofore attained with existing machines or apparatus of this type. 1.. J

To the accomplishment of. the foregoingand related ends, said invention, then, consists, of the. means hereinafter fullydescribed and particularly'pointed out in the. claims; the annexed drawings and following description setting forth in detail certain means and one mode of carry-- ing out the-invention, such disclosed means'and modeillustrating, however, but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawingsz- Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views through -,cylindrical' drums embodyingjvarious modifications of material blending devices made in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary.cross-section, taken on the line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2.

In each modification, the apparatus includes a cylindrical drum I, the axis of which is normally inclined so that materials fed into the drum at one end, as through a chute communicating with an opening in the upper end of the drum, may gradually traverse the drum by gravity and be discharged from the drum through an opening or chute communicating with the drum at its other end. The drum may be continuously rotated in any desired manner, but is prevented from moving in the direction of its axis by means of freely rotatable flanged wheels 2, which engage rings 3 fixed to the drum at 1ongitudinally spaced points. It will be understood that other means, such for example as thrust rollers, can be employed instead of flanged wheels for rotatably supporting the drum.

The apparatus also includes one or more blending rolls, which are positioned for rotation within the cylindrical drums, and the axes of which are parallel with the axis of the drum.

In Fig. l, the blending rolls 4 and 5 are hollow land are mounted on shafts B and 7, respectively, which are journalled in suitable bearings outsired, be solid instead of hollow. 'By means of suitable gearing, as shown in dotted lines,-the rolls 4 and 5 may be rotated in the direction indicated by arrows. Liftingbars 8, having pairs of plates 9 securedthereto at spaced intervals, are secured to the interior surface of the drum and extend lengthwise thereof. If desired,- the bearings supporting either or both shafts 6 and 1 may be arranged to slide in guides, so as to permit the upper roll to move relatively to the lower roll as the sand'passes between such rolls, and spring means, such for example, as. shown in Fig, 4 of the patent to Boughton No. 957,646 may be employed to force the'rolls together. It will be. noted thatrolls 4 and 5 lie in an inclined plane, with the axis of the roll 5 lying at a higher position in said plane than the axis of roll 4, and that the weight of the roll 5 is therefore utilized to bring pressure to bear on the material passingbetween the rolls to supplement the action of springs which may be provided, as stated.

It will also be noted that the roll 4 is driven at a slower peripheral speed thanthe roll- 5, so that a slip occurs between the surfaces of the rolls, which aids in the blending action.

During rotation of the drum in the direction indicated by the arrow, material which has entered the drum and has fallen to the bottom of mixed and blended together, finally flows out of the rearward and lower end of the drum.

In Fig. 2, an auxiliary roll [0 mounted on a shaft II, is provided, which may be driven by a link belt or other means by the shaft 1. The roll 10 rotates in the same direction as the roll 5 and bears against the roll 4 to thereby provide additional blending action.

In Fig. 4, a single roll I2 is provided, which in this case is freely rotated by contact with the inner surface of the drum. The roll l2 may be driven, if desired. In this form of the invention, the lifting bars are necessarily omitted.

In Fig. 5, two freely rotatable rolls I 3 and l 4 are provided which preferably contact the drum at circumferentially spaced points alo'ngthe bottom of the drum. Amixing device may also be provided consisting of spider wheels 15 mounted at spaced points along a rotatable shaft l6. To the ends of the arms of these spider wheels are secured angle pieces H which assist the'mixing action in the drum.

In Fig. 6, the roll I8 is freely rotatable, and is driven by contact with the inner surface of the drum. By means of suitable gearing, as shown in dotted lines, the roll [8 drives the roll 19, which is in contact therewith, and here again a wiping or blending action takes place, due to the difference in peripheral speed of the rolls I8 and I 9. Q

For the purpose of cleaning or scraping adhering particles from the rolls, scrapers 28 may be employed in connection with either one or both rolls, and provision may be made for relatively adjusting the rolls and scrapers.

Various other modifications of one or more parts of the apparatus may be used. Where the axes of the rolls are horizontal, a coniform drum may be used instead of a cylindrical drum, so that the material will be fed through the drum due to the slope of the wall thereof, or a drum having a polygonal cross-section may be employed. These modified types of drums may be used in connection with any desired arrangement of rolls. Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

- te'blend material fed therebetween, the axes of 4. In a mixing apparatus, the combination of rotatable rolls having coacting peripheral surfaces traveling at different speeds adapted to blend material fed therebetween, the axes of said rolls lying in an inclined plane with the axis of one of said rolls lying at a higher position in said plane than the axis of the other roll, said higher roll hearing by gravity against the lower roll.

5. In a mixing apparatus, the combination of a rotatable drum; rolls within said drum and having coacting continuous peripheral surfaces traveling at different peripheral speeds and adapted to blend material fed therebetween, one of said rolls hearing by gravity against the other roll, said drum provided on its inner surface with circumferentially-spaced lifting elements adapted to carry the material to be blended upwardly to a position wherein it may fall by gravity between said blending rolls.

6. In a mixing apparatus, the combination of a rotatable drum, rolls within said drum for blending material fed into the drum, and a mixing device above saidrolls comprising a rotatable shaft, a spider secured to said shaft and mixing blades secured to the arms of said spider.

'7. In a blending apparatus, the combination of a rotatable drum, blending rolls within said drum and having coacting external peripheral blending surfaces, one of said rolls being so disposed with relation to the other roll that the weight of the former is utilized to assist the blending action of the rolls, said drum provided onits inner surface with circumferentially-spaced lifting elements adapted to carry the material to be blended upwardly to a position wherein it may fall by gravity between said blending rolls.

8. In a mixing apparatus, the combination of a rotatable drum and a pair of rotatable blending rolls within said drum having coacting continuous surfaces travelling at different peripheral speeds and adapted to receive therebetween material to be blended, one of said rolls bearing by gravity against the other roll, said drum provided on its inner surface with circumferentially spaced lifting elements adapted to carry the material to be blended upwardly to a position wherein it may fall by gravity between said blending rolls.

HERBERT L. McKINNON. MAHLON E. FIRST. 

